Black cumin prevents kidney damage

The extract of black cumin (Nigella sativa) can help treat kidney damage induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). This was what a study, published in the journal Phytochemical Research, found.

The researchers administered an intraperitoneal injection of losartan (15 mg/kg), captopril (30 mg/kg), 200 mg/kg of N. sativa extract (NS), and 400 mg/kg NS to rats. The treatment was given for 18 days.

During the fourth day, UUO was performed by giving the rats a laparotomy and ligating their left ureters. Rats in the control group received saline as a vehicle and were given a sham operation.

The UUO resulted in significant increases in the expression of renal angiotensin II and monocyte chemoattractant protein?1. The concentration of malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor?alpha, as well as the number of apoptotic cells also went up.

The total renal thiol content and the activity of antioxidant enzymes dropped as a result of the UUO.

The animals treated with losartan, captopril, and Nsshowed improvements in these renal impairments.